The Vagabond sat quietly on a park bench inside the ITVille.
His face conveyed an expression that was a mix of concern, confusion and, interestingly, bliss. An expression so unique that it can only be found on Aged Individuals (AI) in the IT industry. No where else in this flat world do we see such anomaly.
A mid-level leader (ML), who was passing by, stopped to wish the Vagabond.
"Happy New year, sir," the ML yelled at the AI.
The Vagabond, now AI, looked at the ML with the same unique expression he had while he was sitting on the park bench all by himself. He knew that the ML was young and bubbling with anticipation for the future while he, the AI, is now fast becoming irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
"What's new about the year?"
The ML was taken aback a bit. He didn't expect a conversation beyond the exchange of pleasantries. As ML he was also aware that the AI was fast becoming replaceable with, well, AI.
"I guess the Earth completed one round around the Sun and is ready to start a new one from tomorrow," the ML muttered hesitantly.
"Who says? December 31st is not the end of the Earth's orbiting. It is just a date like any other. And for that matter, is the Earth going to change orbit? It will be beating down the same known path it has been doing for billions of years"
The ML now started looking for an escape route.
"Maybe just a symbolic date. Nevertheless, what's wrong in hoping for new beginnings?"
"Who is to say where the circle or ellipse begins or ends? Is it not the whole point of a circle? You want new beginnings, you choose any day or time. Why wait for a specific date when the whole world needs to make a collective decision for new beginnings?"
The ML now started seeing the bigger picture. AI is obviously frustrated about his impending irrelevance due to AI. There is no point arguing with AI, thought ML.
"I agree, one hundred percent," the ML was emphatic this time. "New be damned. Year be damned. There is nothing like choosing your own time for new beginnings"
Vagabond, the AI, felt vindicated and, simultaneously, elated and deflated. The curious expression on his face remained more or less steady with the new mix of conflicting emotions.
AI & ML, now reconciled to the bitter reality of the supposedly New Year, acknowledged each other politely and walked away into a hazy future.
The park bench now waited for its next AI (that could be the current ML)
Happy New Year (or maybe not)
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